11 September 2019

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) is consulting on proposed changes to its Council Tax Support Scheme.

Pensioners and those who are unable to work, such as people with disabilities and lone parents with children below school age, are exempt from paying Council Tax under the support scheme. However, everyone else of working age is required to make some contribution towards their Council Tax.

The Council Tax Support Scheme offers a discount that helps low income households of working age to pay their Council Tax. There are currently about 3,200 people of working age in Mid Sussex who are eligible for a Council Tax reduction under the MSDC support scheme.

Mid Sussex District Council is now required to make changes which will bring the Council Tax Support Scheme into line with the Government’s Universal Credit benefits.

“Since June 2018, Mid Sussex has been covered by the roll out of Universal Credit and this means changes to the way we calculate support levels for those people who are helped by our scheme,” said Councillor Ruth De Mierre, MSDC Cabinet Member for Customer Services.

“We’re proposing to introduce an income banded scheme for all working age applicants to ensure that weekly variations in income don’t lead to frequent changes in the amount of help claimants receive through the Council Tax Support Scheme.

“We’re hoping this proposal will make the scheme easier to understand, and to administer, alongside Universal Credit. It should also reduce the effect that changes in income can have on the Council Tax that people have to pay.”

The Council Tax Support Scheme consultation will run from Friday 6 September until Friday 1 November and online consultation forms are available at www.midsussex.gov.uk/consultation.  For people without internet access at home, paper copies and computers are available for the public to use at the Council’s offices at Oaklands, Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath.

For more information telephone 01444 477264 or email cts-consultation@midsussex.gov.uk